title: Self-powered wireless disposable sensor for welfare application.
abstract: A self-powered urinary incontinence sensor consisting of a flexible urine-activated battery and a wireless transmitter has been developed as an application for wireless biosensor networks. The flexible urine-activated battery is embedded in a disposal diaper and makes possible both the sensing of urine leakage and self-powered operation. An intermittent power-supply circuit that uses an electric double-layer capacitor (EDLC) with a small internal resistance suppresses the supply voltage drop due to the large internal resistance of the battery. This circuit supplies the power to a wireless transmitter. A 315-MHz-band wireless transmitter performs low-power operation. To verify the effectiveness of the circuit scheme, we fabricated a prototype sensor system. When 80 cc of urine is poured onto the diaper, the battery outputs a voltage of 1 V; and the sensor can transmit an ID signal over a distance of 5 m.
authors.forename: Takakuni
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Douseki
authors.forename: Ami
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Tanaka
mesh_terms: D041342:Absorbent Pads; D015374:Biosensing Techniques / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D003695:Delivery of Health Care; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004566:Electrodes; D006801:Humans; D017895:Manganese Compounds / Q000737:chemistry; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic; D010087:Oxides / Q000737:chemistry; D014549:Urinary Incontinence / Q000175:diagnosis*; D059015:Wireless Technology
chemical_list: D017895:Manganese Compounds; D010087:Oxides; C027424:manganese oxide